70birds
That Nest in Birdhouses70birds
That Nest in BirdhousesEven cities have large bird populations that live in birdhouses.
See City Birds
More than 70 North American bird species live in nest boxes or on platforms.
See which birds live near you. Learn about those birds and how to make birdhouses for them.
Feeding birds will not attract birds to nest and raise a family in a bird house.
Nesting, egg laying birds need seclusion and are unlikely to nest in a bird house near throngs of birds flocking to bird feeders.
Put the right nest boxes in the right place.
Keep nest boxes clean.
Protect birds from pests and predators.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Melanerpes
Species: aurifrons
Gr. pikos woodpecker
La. picus woodpecker
Gr. Picus Circe, mythological daughter of Helios, changed Picus, son of Saturn, into a woodpecker
La. forma form, shape, kind
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. melas black
Gr. herpes a creeper
La. auri gold
La. aurum golden
La. frons forehead, brow
Nine or ten inches long. Red crown, yellowish or golden nape and brow, black and white barred back, wings and tail feathers. White head and underside. Black beak.
Golden-fronted woodpeckers are abundant in mesquite scrub lands or mixed forests in arid Texas, southwest Oklahoma and tropical rain forests further south in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and northern Nicaragua.
They forage on tree trunks, under loose bark and on the ground for grasshoppers, beetles, ants and other insects and a significant part of their diet consists of acorns, corn, mesquite seeds, berries and other wild fruit.
Golden-fronted woodpeckers build nests in abandoned or natural cavities or ones which they excavate in decaying trees, telephone poles, or fence posts from within reach up to twenty feet or higher.
Females lay four to seven, usually five or six white eggs. Young hatch after about two weeks incubation and leave the nest in about another four weeks.
The Golden-fronted Woodpecker Birdhouse (same as for the Red-headed Woodpecker and Hawk Owl) has a 6″ by 6″ floor, 14″ inside floor to ceiling, 2″ diameter entrance hole located 11″ above the floor and ventilation openings.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws. Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces and regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces to reduce wood splitting.
Attach the roof with hinges and lock in a closed position with shutter hooks. Or some may prefer a fixed roof with a Side Opening Door.
Mount this nest box on a tree trunk or pole between ten and twenty feet high, or lower on a fence post. Place a bed of wood chips (not sawdust) in the nest box.
A number of owls and other woodpeckers may nest in this box.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Birdhouse
View/Print Birdhouse Plans
Installations at significant heights should be installed and maintained by professionals, carpenters, electricians, power line workers, etc.
Although it is good practice to remove nests and clean boxes well after the brood rearing season is past, one might weigh the increased risks working at heights additional time(s) beyond the initial installation. Consider leaving the box, at least until a qualified trades worker is available.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home
Melanerpes aurifrons
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Melanerpes
Species: aurifrons
Gr. pikos woodpecker
La. picus woodpecker
Gr. Picus Circe, mythological daughter of Helios, changed Picus, son of Saturn, into a woodpecker
La. forma form, shape, kind
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. melas black
Gr. herpes a creeper
La. auri gold
La. aurum golden
La. frons forehead, brow
Nine or ten inches long. Red crown, yellowish or golden nape and brow, black and white barred back, wings and tail feathers. White head and underside. Black beak.
Golden-fronted woodpeckers are abundant in mesquite scrub lands or mixed forests in arid Texas, southwest Oklahoma and tropical rain forests further south in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and northern Nicaragua.
They forage on tree trunks, under loose bark and on the ground for grasshoppers, beetles, ants and other insects and a significant part of their diet consists of acorns, corn, mesquite seeds, berries and other wild fruit.
Golden-fronted woodpeckers build nests in abandoned or natural cavities or ones which they excavate in decaying trees, telephone poles, or fence posts from within reach up to twenty feet or higher.
Females lay four to seven, usually five or six white eggs. Young hatch after about two weeks incubation and leave the nest in about another four weeks.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Birdhouse
The Golden-fronted Woodpecker Birdhouse (same as for the Red-headed Woodpecker and Hawk Owl) has a 6″ by 6″ floor, 14″ inside floor to ceiling, 2″ diameter entrance hole located 11″ above the floor and ventilation openings.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws. Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces and regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces to reduce wood splitting.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Birdhouse Plans
Attach the roof with hinges and lock in a closed position with shutter hooks. Or some may prefer a fixed roof with a Side Opening Door.
Mount this nest box on a tree trunk or pole between ten and twenty feet high, or lower on a fence post. Place a bed of wood chips (not sawdust) in the nest box.
A number of owls and other woodpeckers may nest in this box.
Installations at significant heights should be installed and maintained by professionals, carpenters, electricians, power line workers, etc.
Although it is good practice to remove nests and clean boxes well after the brood rearing season is past, one might weigh the increased risks working at heights additional time(s) beyond the initial installation. Consider leaving the box, at least until a qualified trades worker is available.
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Melanerpes
Species: aurifrons
Gr. pikos woodpecker
La. picus woodpecker
Gr. Picus Circe, mythological daughter of Helios, changed Picus, son of Saturn, into a woodpecker
La. forma form, shape, kind
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. melas black
Gr. herpes a creeper
La. auri gold
La. aurum golden
La. frons forehead, brow
Nine or ten inches long. Red crown, yellowish or golden nape and brow, black and white barred back, wings and tail feathers. White head and underside. Black beak.
Golden-fronted woodpeckers are abundant in mesquite scrub lands or mixed forests in arid Texas, southwest Oklahoma and tropical rain forests further south in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and northern Nicaragua.
They forage on tree trunks, under loose bark and on the ground for grasshoppers, beetles, ants and other insects and a significant part of their diet consists of acorns, corn, mesquite seeds, berries and other wild fruit.
Golden-fronted woodpeckers build nests in abandoned or natural cavities or ones which they excavate in decaying trees, telephone poles, or fence posts from within reach up to twenty feet or higher.
Females lay four to seven, usually five or six white eggs. Young hatch after about two weeks incubation and leave the nest in about another four weeks.
The Golden-fronted Woodpecker Birdhouse (same as for the Red-headed Woodpecker and Hawk Owl) has a 6″ by 6″ floor, 14″ inside floor to ceiling, 2″ diameter entrance hole located 11″ above the floor and ventilation openings.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws. Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces and regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces to reduce wood splitting.
Attach the roof with hinges and lock in a closed position with shutter hooks. Or some may prefer a fixed roof with a Side Opening Door.
Mount this nest box on a tree trunk or pole between ten and twenty feet high, or lower on a fence post. Place a bed of wood chips (not sawdust) in the nest box.
A number of owls and other woodpeckers may nest in this box.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Birdhouse
View/Print Birdhouse Plans
Installations at significant heights should be installed and maintained by professionals, carpenters, electricians, power line workers, etc.
Although it is good practice to remove nests and clean boxes well after the brood rearing season is past, one might weigh the increased risks working at heights additional time(s) beyond the initial installation. Consider leaving the box, at least until a qualified trades worker is available.